Richardson was not sent in because of a leg injury, so when Scott could not continue the match was declared over, despite Warwickshire having only taken seven wickets.

“I can safely say that it is probably the worst wicket I have seen in professional cricket in England”

Sreve RhodesWorcestershire director of cricket

The pitch appeared quieter on the final morning as Worcestershire held off the seamers for more than half an hour.

And when three wickets went down in 14 balls, the dismissals were not obviously linked to the unpredictable nature of the surface.

Rikki Clarke trapped Shaaiq Choudhry leg before and had Moeen Ali, who had survived a slip chance off Naqaash Tahir, caught at deep square leg by Chris Metters.

Gareth Andrew then clipped Tahir straight to Jonathan Trott at short mid-wicket before Warwickshire's victory drive was held up by a partnership of 44 for the seventh wicket between Scott (31) and Damien Wright.

Both needed treatment before Rankin had Wright caught at mid-off from his second ball after replacing Clarke, and eight runs later the match was over when Scott left the field after more treatment.

The points deduction means, in effect, that Warwickshire earned 15 points from the game to Worcestershire's four, although the Bears are set to appeal.

It is thought they will raise procedural issues leading to the formation of a pitch panel.

POST-MATCH REACTION

Warwickshire director of cricket Ashley Giles:

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"It's been a long three-and-a-half days for us all things considered, but in the end we won the game, which we set out to do.

"The players have performed brilliantly. Sometimes, wickets ands balls can get into players' heads and this week they have done everything perfectly.

"If guys have have got a difficult delivery and got out there has been no throwing of bats and cursing when they come in, they have taken their pads off and got on with it.

"That's excellent for the guys who have got to bat still and the rest of the side, and we carried that attitude through the whole game."

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes:

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"Their (the panel's) opinion was that it (the pitch) was poor but my personal view is that it was unfit. I can safely say that it is probably the worst wicket I have seen in professional cricket in England.

"It was a farcical finish to a farcical game, played in farcical conditions.

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